A Beautiful Ekphrastic Poem by Margaret Kiernan

The Five Bar Iron Gate-

ekphrastic poem

A Raven crow sits uncaring, alone on a stony plinth

in dappled light

beneath the sparse leaves

ancient apple-tree.

A sombre stile of mottled stone

leads to the field as

pitted green bars meld time

shaped to last.

Spooned out thumb shape

to draw the bolt

pitted Verdigris drapes one bar

that iron patinaed softened time.

Sweated out

that anvil’s magic energy

transmuted rawness

into stories where beauty dwells.

Juxtaposed dark against light.

Bio : Margaret Kiernan is a 2021 Best of The Net Nominee for Creative Non-FictionAward. She writes fiction, non-fiction essay, memoir, and poetry. She has had poetry and prose published in hard back, in e-book, on-line. Also, in Literary Journals and magazines. She has multiple stories and poems in anthology collections and cultural publications. She was awarded a Professional Development Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland and, The Westmeath Arts Office, Westmeath County Council, 2021.

Margaret writes with Over the Edge on Thursdays advanced poetry workshop/reading group at Galway Arts Centre.

She is a member of Ox Mountain Poets, Sligo.

Listed in the Index of Contemporary Women Poets in Ireland, 202

Margaret has four grown-up children. She lives in Westmeath with her dog Molly.

She paints in Watercolours and acrylics and, is interested in Nature, philosophy, astrology, gardening, music, spirituality, archaeology, and historical heritage.